Road trip in the south
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I'm going to the US for a four week road trip with my wife this summer. We're going to drive around FL, GA, SC, NC and VA and back south through the Appalachians. The trip is already pretty well planned by my wife, but nothings written in stone so I thought I should ask about the hidden gems.
Yikes! Did you not see that episode of Top Gear where they did the road trip through the south? They were litterally chased by a posse down the highway who were threatening to kill them.
"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do." - Walter Bagehot
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We'll definitely have a look at it, thanks. Would you by any chance have a clue about how it compares with Providence Canyon state park? (South of Columbus GA) We had planned some rafting there.
They are similar. Little River Canyon will not be as crowded. Rafting is really tough, these are class 5 rapids. You can canoe in the lake at the mouth of the canyon. As always, you need to check with the outfitters about water levels. They can vary, depending on the winter rains. One big difference is that Little River Canyon is a national preserve run by the Federal Government. The good news is they are only about 200 miles apart. Little River Canyon is a little easier to get to from Atlanta than Providence Canyon. They are on completely different river systems, so one can be at perfect water levels and the other can be dry. With exchange rates being what they are, you will have a lot of buying power. Plan on eating lots of Bar-B-Que and Fried Catfish. Do not plan on dieting or avoiding cholesterol in that part of the world. :laugh: I really envy you. I love the part of the country you will be driving through. A lot of it is in a time warp. Lot's of back roads and country stores filled with RC Cola and Moonpies. (A seven course meal growing up was a six pack of RC and a Moonpie.) :-D
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
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Yikes! Did you not see that episode of Top Gear where they did the road trip through the south? They were litterally chased by a posse down the highway who were threatening to kill them.
"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do." - Walter Bagehot
Yes I did, great show! I wonder what they will do in the next seasons "Topgear in Iran" episode.
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Will you be touching Atlanta? There're a bunch of CPians down here if you are interesting in meeting up for coffee or beer. :-)
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
My latest book : C++/CLI in Action / Amazon.com linkWe haven't planned it. Yet... You've mentioned one good reason so far. Are there any more? I need to convince my wife too :~ :-D
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Yes I did, great show! I wonder what they will do in the next seasons "Topgear in Iran" episode.
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Judging by the other episode I'm guessing Top Gear in Iran might be a little less violent and more tolerant. ;)
"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do." - Walter Bagehot
Was that about tolerance referring to Jeremy Clarksson ;P
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They are similar. Little River Canyon will not be as crowded. Rafting is really tough, these are class 5 rapids. You can canoe in the lake at the mouth of the canyon. As always, you need to check with the outfitters about water levels. They can vary, depending on the winter rains. One big difference is that Little River Canyon is a national preserve run by the Federal Government. The good news is they are only about 200 miles apart. Little River Canyon is a little easier to get to from Atlanta than Providence Canyon. They are on completely different river systems, so one can be at perfect water levels and the other can be dry. With exchange rates being what they are, you will have a lot of buying power. Plan on eating lots of Bar-B-Que and Fried Catfish. Do not plan on dieting or avoiding cholesterol in that part of the world. :laugh: I really envy you. I love the part of the country you will be driving through. A lot of it is in a time warp. Lot's of back roads and country stores filled with RC Cola and Moonpies. (A seven course meal growing up was a six pack of RC and a Moonpie.) :-D
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
Then I guess we'll find out the waterlevels on the way south and make a choice after that.
CodeWizard1951 wrote:
Do not plan on dieting or avoiding cholesterol in that part of the world
I'm doing all the dieting before the trip for that very reason. Last time I was in the US I learned that the food is REALLY good. I had better Italian food in San Francisco AND New York than I ever had in Italy. The best hamburger in my life I had in Big Sur. So my expectations is even higher this time as the south has a reputation for good food. But spongecake for breakfast at the motel in LA was way over the top for me. X| Now I have to find out what a Moonpie is :)
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Then I guess we'll find out the waterlevels on the way south and make a choice after that.
CodeWizard1951 wrote:
Do not plan on dieting or avoiding cholesterol in that part of the world
I'm doing all the dieting before the trip for that very reason. Last time I was in the US I learned that the food is REALLY good. I had better Italian food in San Francisco AND New York than I ever had in Italy. The best hamburger in my life I had in Big Sur. So my expectations is even higher this time as the south has a reputation for good food. But spongecake for breakfast at the motel in LA was way over the top for me. X| Now I have to find out what a Moonpie is :)
Here are some moonpie links. I personally don't eat them anymore, but as a child, they had a certain appeal. :-D RC Cola and Moonpies[^] Moonpie.com[^] Also, I wouldn't worry too much about folks in the South. Hunstville Alabama has the largest population of Germans in the world outside of Germany. A lot of places in north Alabama still celebrate Octoberfest. Redstone Arsenal is still populated by ex-German scientists and their children. I started to tell John C in his email that Canuck border guards are a lot more scarey than any Southern Rednecks. :-D I thought I was going to be thrown in jail for trying to bring Tequila into Canada ten years ago. A quart of liquor had about 40 ml more liquid than a liter. Canada wanted $22 Canadian for the privilege of bringing in that 40 ml of Tequila. But first I had to explain what Tequila was. The border guard had never heard of it. :laugh:
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
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Then I guess we'll find out the waterlevels on the way south and make a choice after that.
CodeWizard1951 wrote:
Do not plan on dieting or avoiding cholesterol in that part of the world
I'm doing all the dieting before the trip for that very reason. Last time I was in the US I learned that the food is REALLY good. I had better Italian food in San Francisco AND New York than I ever had in Italy. The best hamburger in my life I had in Big Sur. So my expectations is even higher this time as the south has a reputation for good food. But spongecake for breakfast at the motel in LA was way over the top for me. X| Now I have to find out what a Moonpie is :)
One more Moonpie reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_pie[^]
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
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Here are some moonpie links. I personally don't eat them anymore, but as a child, they had a certain appeal. :-D RC Cola and Moonpies[^] Moonpie.com[^] Also, I wouldn't worry too much about folks in the South. Hunstville Alabama has the largest population of Germans in the world outside of Germany. A lot of places in north Alabama still celebrate Octoberfest. Redstone Arsenal is still populated by ex-German scientists and their children. I started to tell John C in his email that Canuck border guards are a lot more scarey than any Southern Rednecks. :-D I thought I was going to be thrown in jail for trying to bring Tequila into Canada ten years ago. A quart of liquor had about 40 ml more liquid than a liter. Canada wanted $22 Canadian for the privilege of bringing in that 40 ml of Tequila. But first I had to explain what Tequila was. The border guard had never heard of it. :laugh:
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
Until I read that the Moonpies used to weigh half a pound I thought it was something similar to s'mores. Oh, I never worried about the folks of the south. If I had we wouldn't go there. So Ok, we will avoid Miami:suss:, and yes, I've seen Deliverance. :omg: Any tips on how to find out that you're in the wrong area is appreciated though. My wife (she's german) might be happy to see that they kept the old traditions. If we also find a proper Thuringian Bratwurst she'll go into a spin.
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Until I read that the Moonpies used to weigh half a pound I thought it was something similar to s'mores. Oh, I never worried about the folks of the south. If I had we wouldn't go there. So Ok, we will avoid Miami:suss:, and yes, I've seen Deliverance. :omg: Any tips on how to find out that you're in the wrong area is appreciated though. My wife (she's german) might be happy to see that they kept the old traditions. If we also find a proper Thuringian Bratwurst she'll go into a spin.
The only places I avoid in the deep south are a) Bars out in the middle of nowhere with very large gravel parking lots. Friday and Saturday nights can be dangerous around red neck bars - drunk drivers. b) Avoid housing projects. They look a lot like they do in Sweden. c) If you look a lot different than the people around you, it's time to be cautious. I hate to say it, but it's true. Americans are no more or no less xenophobic than anyone else. It's just best to blend in anywhere you go. I learned this while working in Europe a few years ago. The first thing I changed to blend in, believe it or not, was my shoes. Once I got rid of my American shoes while in France and Italy, no one noticed me anymore. Strange but true.
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
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Here are some moonpie links. I personally don't eat them anymore, but as a child, they had a certain appeal. :-D RC Cola and Moonpies[^] Moonpie.com[^] Also, I wouldn't worry too much about folks in the South. Hunstville Alabama has the largest population of Germans in the world outside of Germany. A lot of places in north Alabama still celebrate Octoberfest. Redstone Arsenal is still populated by ex-German scientists and their children. I started to tell John C in his email that Canuck border guards are a lot more scarey than any Southern Rednecks. :-D I thought I was going to be thrown in jail for trying to bring Tequila into Canada ten years ago. A quart of liquor had about 40 ml more liquid than a liter. Canada wanted $22 Canadian for the privilege of bringing in that 40 ml of Tequila. But first I had to explain what Tequila was. The border guard had never heard of it. :laugh:
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
Where are you from? I live in the Huntsville area and work on Redstone Arsenal. You seem to know alot about the area.
Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Me blog, You read
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Until I read that the Moonpies used to weigh half a pound I thought it was something similar to s'mores. Oh, I never worried about the folks of the south. If I had we wouldn't go there. So Ok, we will avoid Miami:suss:, and yes, I've seen Deliverance. :omg: Any tips on how to find out that you're in the wrong area is appreciated though. My wife (she's german) might be happy to see that they kept the old traditions. If we also find a proper Thuringian Bratwurst she'll go into a spin.
Jörgen Andersson wrote:
Any tips on how to find out that you're in the wrong area is appreciated though.
Avoid the areas that have all of the street lights shot out. :) She might like Helen, Georgia and Gatlinburg, Tennesssee
Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Me blog, You read
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Where are you from? I live in the Huntsville area and work on Redstone Arsenal. You seem to know alot about the area.
Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Me blog, You read
Raised/lived in Alabama from 1953 to 1976. My cousin was a defense contractor in Huntsville (aeronautical engineer). I've toured Redstone many times. My father was an insurance agent whose territory included Huntsville. As a boy, I traveled all over the south with him in the summer time. I will never forget seeing speed limit signs in kph for the first time, in Huntsville, in 1959! Huntsville implemented daylight savings time before almost any other place in the country even heard of the term. I was able to listen to a talk by Werner von Braum in 1964 or 1965 if memory serves me correctly. I was able to accompany my cousin once or twice into the facility long before there was a space camp, back when Mercury capsules were state of the art. It all played a part in my upbringing and education.
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
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Jörgen Andersson wrote:
Any tips on how to find out that you're in the wrong area is appreciated though.
Avoid the areas that have all of the street lights shot out. :) She might like Helen, Georgia and Gatlinburg, Tennesssee
Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Me blog, You read
I had forgotten about Gatlinburg. I always loved it as a boy. Spent my honeymoon there in 1974. Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain also come to mind.
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
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I had forgotten about Gatlinburg. I always loved it as a boy. Spent my honeymoon there in 1974. Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain also come to mind.
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. Code's Musings | Code's Articles
CodeWizard1951 wrote:
I had forgotten about Gatlinburg. I always loved it as a boy. Spent my honeymoon there in 1974. Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain also come to mind.
It's all in the itinerary :)
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I'm going to the US for a four week road trip with my wife this summer. We're going to drive around FL, GA, SC, NC and VA and back south through the Appalachians. The trip is already pretty well planned by my wife, but nothings written in stone so I thought I should ask about the hidden gems.
Jorgen, How did your road trip vacation turn out? I hope you had a wonderful time. Gene
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. My Web Site, Blog & Wiki
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Jorgen, How did your road trip vacation turn out? I hope you had a wonderful time. Gene
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. My Web Site, Blog & Wiki
We certainly did have a wonderful time. I might write together a little report about it later on. But at the moment I'm busy catching up with work. But 'til then I can tell you that the highlights for me were Cumberland Island (GA), Key West, Apalachicola, Charleston and, for me myself a bit unexpected, Gatlinburg. Another unexpected highlight was the Florida panhandle. While driving around looking for lunch, realizing that there doesn't exist any fast food there. We learned to recognize Country Buffet Restaurants, which are ranging from nothing special to absolutely brilliant! We ended up doing Providence Canyon which is really beautiful. And it's so small that you can walk around it and through it in a couple of hours. I learned that it's not older than 160 years and the result of bad farming, amazing! /Jörgen
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We certainly did have a wonderful time. I might write together a little report about it later on. But at the moment I'm busy catching up with work. But 'til then I can tell you that the highlights for me were Cumberland Island (GA), Key West, Apalachicola, Charleston and, for me myself a bit unexpected, Gatlinburg. Another unexpected highlight was the Florida panhandle. While driving around looking for lunch, realizing that there doesn't exist any fast food there. We learned to recognize Country Buffet Restaurants, which are ranging from nothing special to absolutely brilliant! We ended up doing Providence Canyon which is really beautiful. And it's so small that you can walk around it and through it in a couple of hours. I learned that it's not older than 160 years and the result of bad farming, amazing! /Jörgen
I'm happy to hear you had a good vacation. All of the names you mentioned brought back memories from my boyhood in the deep south. Gatlinburg can be a lot of fun. I used to go fishing and crabbing in Apalachicola. Providence Canyon is astounding. The canyon really grew during the Great Depression in the 1920'2 and 1930's. "ranging from nothing special to absolutely brilliant!" - Yes, that sums up the deep south, not just Country Buffet! :-D Great to hear from you. Gene
CodeWiz51 -- Life is not a spectator sport. I came to play. My Web Site, Blog & Wiki